Passage- "Stalking"

Dillard, Annie. "Stalking." Ten on Ten: Major Essayists on Recurring Themes. Ed. Robert Atwan. Boston: Bedford of St. Martin's, 1992. N. pag. Print.

(1) Now the moment a muskrat’s eyes disappear from view under a bride, I go into action.  (2) I have about five seconds to switch myself around so that I will be able to see him very well when he emerges on the other side of the bridge.  (3) I can easily hang my head over the other side of the bridge, so that when he appears from under me, I will be able to count his eyelashes if I want. (4) The trouble with this maneuver is that, once his beady eyes appear again on the other side. (5) I am stuck.  (6) If I move again, the show is over for the evening. (7) I have to remain in whatever insane position I happen to be caught, for as long as I am in his sight, so that I stiffen all my muscles, bruise my ankles on the concrete, and burn my fingers on the cigarette. (8) And if the muskrat goes out on a bank to feed, there I am with my face hanging a foot over the water, unable to see anything but crayfish. (9)  So I have learned to take it easy on these five-second flings.